Shannon Perry / Cats.com
Constant scooping is one of the only drawbacks to having a cat. Pet tech companies, like BASTRUMI, have been racing to help cat owners alleviate that burden. Complete with an app, alerts, and odor-reducing functions, BASTRUMI’s automatic litter box aims to provide a fresh, clean box for cats and a hands-off experience for their owners.
In this review, I’ll share features I was impressed with and things that the company still needs to work on so you can determine if it’s worth the $500 investment.
Ratings
Ease of Cleaning – 4/5
Odor Control – 5/5
Appearance – 4/5
Construction – 5/5
Price – 5/5
Overall Score: 4.6/5
Why Trust Cats.com
As a cat mom of multiple cats (11, in fact), I know how important it is to keep your litter boxes clean while having time for other things. Without an automatic cat litter box or two, I’d spend hours a day on litter boxes alone. When researching, buying, and reviewing a new litter box, I look at how easy it is to clean, price, size, and how it fits with my home. With automatic litter boxes, like the BASTRUMI, I also look at how effectively they deodorize and work and how much extra work they add to my day.
BASTRUMI Company Overview
In July 2023, BASTRUMI filed for trademark registration in Colorado, USA. That application is still pending, making BASTRUMI a brand-new company. According to their trademark application, the business intends to sell cat-related items, including automatic litter boxes like this one, the bags designed for the box, food and water bowls, and numerous other items related to cat care. Because they are so new and primarily sell through Amazon, there isn’t much information about the company.
There’s plenty to say about the BASTRUMI self-cleaning litter box, though. Well packaged in a box about twice its size, the litter box came in sturdy styrofoam, which held it in place so it arrived damage-free. Out of the box, the overall product dimensions are 19.9 inches wide, 20.5 inches long, and 18.9 inches high, making it small and compact for this type of automatic box. This compact size is achieved because the waste drawer is on the side of the litter box. It also comes with a cat litter mat and compact rolls of drawstring bags, which are inside the drum for shipping.
Self-Cleaning Litter Box Features
Unpackaging the litter box was a challenge due to the styrofoam, making it necessary to cut the box up. But, once unpackaged and unwrapped, the litter box was lightweight (15 pounds) and easy to handle. The drawer, located on the left and top side of the globe, is easy to open and designed for bags with a pull-string design to create a seal around the opening and flap for waste. This makes for easy disposal once the bag fills up.
The cylinder is also removable, making it easier to clean without worrying about damaging the sensitive electronics in the base. Lastly, in the base, there’s also a front-facing infrared sensor for added safety when your cat gets in or out. If your cat enters the litter box as it’s cycling, it stops until your cat has safely exited.
The litter waste compartment of the BASTRUMI litter box. Shannon Perry / Cats.com
Users must download a mobile app, Tuya Smart, to use the BASTRUMI litter box properly. It requires a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection to work; setting it up is much easier if you ensure your router has this enabled. Once the app and the litter box are connected, all that’s left is adding litter, and it’s more or less done. The litter box automatically cycles, and you can customize numerous settings, including quiet time, clumping and clean timing, child lock, and more.
What We Like:
The litter box is incredibly quiet
The app has numerous customizations to tailor it to your lifestyle.
The price point is good
Its compact size is suitable for smaller homes or spaces.
What We Dislike:
This litter box isn’t suitable for kittens.
You also cannot customize the type of notifications you get, so if you have multiple pets, you’re alerted every time a cat gets in or out (which can be a nuisance if you have 11 cats), but not when the drawer is full.
The drawer doesn’t currently have an option to avoid plastic bags, which would be helpful for use with biodegradable/flushable litter that doesn’t go in the trash.
The only way for the litter box to work properly seems to be with a Wi-Fi connection, which can be problematic for those without Wi-Fi.
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Petra Parkeretta was interested in both the litter box, the heater (for scale), and our photography session. Shannon Perry / Cats.com
Initially, the cats kept their distance from the litter box, and I was concerned that the opening would be too small. But, once they began using it, the cats seemed to prefer it over other options. Its low entryway is ideal for older cats with arthritic conditions, and even my largest cats seem to find it roomy.
The box appears to be high-quality. After a month of using the litter box, performance hasn’t degraded, and the cats still use it all the time. If the waste bin gets too full, waste will begin spilling out of the front because the flap can no longer close. While this is messy, it’s a natural consequence of the human neglecting to change the bag rather than a design flaw. It does take a while to get full; this is dependent on the number of cats using it. Even with 11, I don’t have to change it that often. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t seem to notify you that the bin is full.
Overall, I like this litter box much more than I thought I would. The issue I suspected would be problematic (namely, the location of the waste collection compartment) isn’t a concern at all. Although it’s still early, if I remain consistent with changing the bags, I’m optimistic the BASTRUMI will be an excellent addition to my cats’ bathroom routine.
What Do Customers Think of this Self-Cleaning Litter Box?
Overall, reviewers seem satisfied with the BASTRUMI litter box, especially considering the price point and how inexpensive it is compared to similar designs. The deodorizing feature, along with the many settings available through the app, is also a big draw for customers.
The app is a point brought up throughout critical reviews—it isn’t the most user-friendly app available with smart products like this, but given that the company is less than one year old, this isn’t surprising and something that will hopefully improve with time.
Positive Reviews
“Installation was easy and performance is solid just the app is a bit clunky. There are 3 cats in my household and they will pee elsewhere if the litter box is not clean enough so this is a great solution. I don’t have to worry about scooping, just take out the bag every few days. It took a few days for them to get used to it but once they did there weren’t any issues. I think they definitely appreciate always having a clean litter box.”—Carlos S., Amazon
Positive reviews for the BASTRUMI litter box mainly center around its ease of use, the customizations available thanks to the app, and its ease of cleaning. Another big plus with users was odor control, thanks to the deodorizing feature. While not often mentioned as a huge bonus with this litter box, positive reviews comment on its smaller size and how it can fit in smaller places.
Negative Reviews
“My cat is terrified of this thing, the design is super freaky to cats and he won’t use it. It also leaks litter onto the floor when it turns to clean the used litter. I can’t return it because I didn’t keep the original box since it was huge and I couldn’t keep it sitting around. So basically I wasted almost $400 for nothing. I don’t recommend.”—RP, Amazon
Critical reviews comment that the app is frustrating and notification frequency is too high (such as “cat approached or entered” and “cat left”). They say the instructions are unclear and that some cats have issues with using the box, either due to size or simply not adjusting to the new litter box. Some reviewers commented on trying different settings with the litter box to ensure that the litter is distributed appropriately, but they seemed to get it sorted out with trial and error.
Similar Brands
Looking for other automatic litter box brands similar to the BASTRUMI Self-Cleaning Litter Box? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are self-cleaning litter boxes OK for cats?
In many cases, this is subjective. If your cat adapts to an automatic litter box, and the higher price point and maintenance isn’t a deterrent to you, an automatic litter box is a good option. But using an automatic litter box also means you can’t monitor your cat’s bathroom habits as effectively as scooping.
How often do you change the litter in a self-cleaning litter box?
The litter in automatic litter boxes, like a regular litter box, should be changed out every few weeks.
Can you put regular litter in a self-cleaning litter box?
Clumping litter with small particles works best in automatic litter boxes. Some automatic designs require specially designed trays and litters. For the BASTRUMI litter box, regular clumping litter—either clay or flushable—works fine.
How long can you leave a self-cleaning litter box?
To avoid excessive accumulation of excrement and cat litter leakage, change the waste bag when it is full. Deep-clean an automatic litter box monthly and change the litter every few weeks to ensure that your cat’s toilet space is clean and fresh.
I do actually have a video of it cycling, if you think it’d be good with this article. I do need to trim it down, but I’m happy to do that if you want to replace one of the images.
